Nervous System Flashcards
Learn about neurons, the endocrine system, peripheral and central nervous systems
What are Resting Potentials?
When a neuron is in it’s resting state and not firing - in this state the cell is polarized and negatively charged
What are Graded Potentials?
A brief voltage change across the membrane when a neuron is stimulated by another.
What are Action Potentials?
When a neuron is stimulated enough that it fires (neural impulse)
Cell membrane needs to be depolarized by enough graded potentials to fire
What is Glutamate?
A neurotransmitter that excites neurons
What is GABA?
A neurotransmitter that has an inhibitory effect on neurons in the brain
What is the Endocrine System?
A collection of glands that secrete chemicals (hormones) into the bloodstream to activate cells throughout the body
Peripheral Nervous System
Set of neurons that conveys messages to and from the CNS
Central Nervous System
Brain and spinal cord
Somatic Nervous System
Sends sensory information to the CNS and carries out it’s motor commands.
Involved in voluntary movements and some reflexes.
Autonomic Nervous System
Responsible for basic (automatic) life functions such as heart rate, respiration, digestion and arousal.
Includes Sympathetic and Parasympathetic.
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Calms down the body and maintains it’s energy.
Involved in rountine activities and regulates the body at rest - ‘general house keeping’
Sympathetic Nervous System
Readies the body in response to threat and prepares for stress.
Activates the ‘fight or flight’ response
Spinal Cord
Carries out automatic motor responses (reflexes). Sends sensory info to brain and messages from brain to muscles and organs
What is Saltatory Conduction?
Speedy conduction - nerve impulse travels down axon ‘skipping’ from one Node of Ranvier to the next, increasing speed of conduction along mylientaed axons
Synaptic Pruning
Natural process where axons and dendrites die off during childhood and adolescence to make transmission more efficient and specific
